Telltale Warnings Your Asthma Is Worsening
If you have asthma, you need to be constantly vigilant about your symptoms and condition getting worse. When this happens, it is usually a sign that either your condition itself is manifesting into a more severe variant or your treatment regimen is not as effective as it once was. If you want to learn how to see the signs of this occurring, read on into the following paragraphs.
You are no doubt familiar with your symptoms by now. But, do you know how often they happen? It might sometimes seem like your symptoms are happening more than they used to, but do you know for sure? A journal or smartphone or tablet app is a good way to document occurrences. Over time, through this method, you can statistically know symptoms are increasing in frequency.
Another way your symptoms can get worse is not just their frequency but in their severity. What might have once been a mild inconvenience could now be quite alarming and painful. Consult with your physician to see if there is any way to measure your symptoms numerically to know for sure.
If you used to be able to sleep a full night with asthma, but are now unable to, then this is an obvious indicator that something is going south. Even if you are able to still sleep soundly but are now reliant on sleeping pills or some other helper, you need to look into things.
Similar to sleep interruptions, if you are missing work or school days thanks to symptoms, then your condition is definitely getting worse. This particular situation is not just a symptom needing attention, but a call to action. When your asthma is impacting your life in this way, your treatment regimen has decidedly failed.
Keep an eye on your peak flow rates. If they fluctuate daily or drop off really sharply, you need to consult a medical professional to determine both a cause and a remedy. Lab testing might be required to really get to the bottom of this, so stay calm and relaxed while you wait for the results. Stress will never help your asthma.
Consider how your medications make you feel. Human bodies do build up tolerance and resistances to certain medications over time. The specific medications you have been on might still be the best choices, but you might need your dosages altered.
If you find yourself reaching for your quick-relief inhaler more often, check it out. Is it filled and properly maintained? Could there be another one that your doctor could let you try out? Increased usage of your inhaler might indicate an inhaler issue rather than an overall new asthma issue.
These various signs do not always mean that your condition is getting worse, but they are telltale signs that you need to check in with your doctor. If you go through any of them, schedule a checkup to update your treatment regimen. Before things got worse, you did not have to suffer from asthma. Get back to that freedom and relief.
